National Baseball Hall of Fame president Jeff Idelson said Thursday that the Hall's board of directors decided in December to uphold its rule that prevents consideration of Hit King and former Cincinnati Reds great Pete Rose for induction.

Here's the statement sent to The Enquirer's C. Trent Rosecrans from the Baseball Hall of Fame in Cooperstown:

The National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum’s Board of Directors met by conference call in December and deliberated the ineligibility clause that is part of the Hall of Fame’s Rules for Election. The Directors discussed the validity of the rule, whether it was still relevant and appropriate, and whether its alteration or removal should be considered. After extensive discussion, a vote was taken in which the Board ratified the resolution that was passed on February 4, 1991, known today as Rule 3(E) in the BBWAA’s election rules. As such, anyone deemed permanently ineligible by Major League Baseball, including Pete Rose, may not be considered for election to the Baseball Hall of Fame.

“It's unfortunate,” Ray Genco, one of Rose’s lawyers, said in an email to USA TODAY Sports on Thursday. “My heart says it's unfortunate because Pete, his style of play, those he's inspired, are fundamental and important to the fabric of baseball. With the passage of time we should be able to forgive.

“But my head - and logic - find it unfortunate for more compelling reasons. It's unfortunate that the Hall of Fame is maintaining the ex post facto 1991 'Pete Rose Rule'- the rule, is in derogation of The 1989 Giamatti agreement terms and ignores established process by taking the vote away from the Baseball Writers’ Association of America.”

At 1 p.m. Saturday at Crosley Terrace, the Reds will dedicate a bronze statue of Rose before the Reds take on the Dodgers at GABP.